Sadness, scarab br with seven crippled feet, br spiderweb egg, br scramble-brained rat, br bitch's skeleton: br No entry here. br Don't come in. br Go away. br Go back br south with your umbrella, br go back br north with your serpent's teeth. br A poet lives here. br No sadness may br cross this threshold. br Through these windows br comes the breath of the world, br fresh red roses, br flags embroidered with br the victories of the people. br No. br No entry. br Flap br your bat's wings, br I will trample the feathers br that fall from your mantle, br I will sweep the bits and pieces br of your carcass to br the four corners of the wind, br I will wring your neck, br I will stitch your eyelids shut, br I will sew your shroud, br sadness, and bury your rodent bones br beneath the springtime of an apple tree.